Combination vehicle body header and door header structure



March 11, 1958 D. G. RENNO COMBINATION VEHICLE BODY HEADER AND DOORHEADER STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 20, 1956 INVENTOR. DONALD G. RENNO ATTORNEYSCOMBINATION VEHICLE BODY HEADER AND DOGR HEADER STRUCTURE Donald G.Renno, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to Motor Products Corporation,Detroit, Mich., a corporation of New York Application February 20, 1956,Serial No. 566,409

6 Claims. (Cl. 296-28) This invention relates generally to a combinationvehicle body header and door header structure, and refers moreparticularly to improvements in the construction of the vehicle body anddoor headers respectively and to improved means for sealing the jointprovided between such headers when the door of the vehicle body is inclosed position.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide a vehiclebody and door header structure embodying two rolled metal sections thatare stronger in construction and are less expensive to make thanconventional stampmgs.

Another object is to provide rolled sections of the type mentioned thatcan be easily made to the desired configuration to accommodate variousassociated parts, including desired weatherstrips.

Another object is to provide a door header wherein one or more flangesheretofore believed necessary have been omitted, and wherein the outerface of the rolled door section is narrower than heretofore.

Another object is to provide a door header wherein the outer side of adownwardly opening channel for re ceiving the upper edge of a verticallyslidable glass panel of the door is shaped to support 'a trim or moldingstrip that enhances and improves the exterior appearance of thestructure and wherein the inner side of such channel is provided with aninwardly projecting horizontal flange adapted to engage a Weatherstripcarried by the vehicle body header to seal the joint between the doorheader and "vehicle body header when the door is in closed posinon.

Another object is to provide a door header that is provided between theouter and inner sides aforesaid with an upwardly opening channel portionoperable as a water drain trough.

Another object is to provide a body header having a tubular rail portionprovided at the outer side thereof with an outwardlyextending or lateralflange cooperating with the lower edge portion of a roof panel of thevehicle body to provide an outer roof rail orfgutter for water drainingfrom said roof panel, and is provided at the inner side thereof with adownwardly opening groove or channel and a downwardly extending flangeof substantially L cross section that collectively hold the Weatherstripaforesaid that is engageable by the door header.

Another object is to provide a body header wherein the outwardlyextending orlateral flange just mentioned is shaped to be firmly engagedby a trim or molding strip adapted to cooperate with the door headertrim or molding strip aforesaid to improve the exterior appearance ofthe structure.

. Another object is to provide a body header wherein the downwardlyextending flange aforesaid has a portion to which a head lining, a trimmolding, and a retainer strip may be attached, and is provided belowsaid weatherstrip with an upwardly open channel or trough portion Statesate er 2,826,447 Patented Mar. 11, 1958 for receiving any water drainingdownwardly from the joint between said Weatherstrip and door header.

Another object is to provide a body header wherein the trim molding justmentioned is provided below the lower edge of the head lining with atrough portion that is adapted to receive water overflowing; the outeredge of the trough portion of the downwardly extending flange, and thatis engageable by the inner side of the door header to form a second sealbetween the door and body headers when the door is in closed position.

Another object is to provide a body header wherein the fastening meansfor the head lining, trim molding, and retainer strip have head portionsengaged with and concealed by the retainer strip, and have shankportions that eflectively hold the Weatherstrip aforesaid againstaccidental displacement from the body header.

Another object is to provide a retainer strip that is assembled in sucha manner with the trim molding that it cooperates with the fasteningmeans to hold the trim molding and head lining upon the body header andcoopcrates with the trim molding to enhance and improve the interiorappearance of the structure.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of thisinvention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds,especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the structure embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional perspective view thereof with parts broken awayand in section.

Referring now to the drawing, A is the door header, and B is the vehiclebody header of an assembly embodying my invention.

As shown, the door header A comprises a rolled steel section having adownwardly opening channel 10 for receiving the upper edge of avertically slidable glass panel 11 of a suitable door.

The outer side 12 of the channel has a closely returnbent portion 13projecting upwardly above the base 14 of the channel, and has a closelyreturn-bent portion 15 at its lower edge, whereby a trim or moldingstrip 16 may be snapped over said return-bent portions 13 and 15 toembrace said side 12 to enhance and improve the exterior appearance ofthe structure. Thus the outer side 12 of the door header is narrowerthan heretofore, and one or more flanges heretofore believed necessaryhave been omitted.

The inner side 17 of the channel 10 has a closely return-bent portion 18projecting upwardly above the base 14 of the channel and thencelaterally inward to provide a flange 19 adapted to engage a sealing flapportion 29' of a Weatherstrip 20 of resilient material such as rubber orrubber composition carried by the vehicle body header B to seal thejoint between the door header and vehicle body header when the door isin closed position, and is provided at its lower edge with a closelyreturn-bent portion 21.

The upwardly projecting portions 13 and 13 respectively of the sides 12and 17 of the channel l0 cooperate with the base 14 of the channel toprovide an upwardly opening channel portion 22 operable as a water draintrough.

The vehicle body header B comprises a rolled steel section having atubular rail portion 23 provided at the outer lower side thereof with anoutwardly extending or lateral flange 2d of inverted substantially i.cross sec tion cooperating with the lower flat edge portion 25 of a roofpanel 26 of the vehicle body to provide an outer roof rail or gutter 27for water draining from said roof panel 26, and provided at the lowerinner side thereof with a downwardly opening groove or channel 28 and adownwardly extending flange 29 of substantially L j 3 cross section thatcollectively hold the base of the Weatherstrip 20.

In the present instance, the outwardly extending flange 24 is providedat the inner lower edge of the roof panel 26 with an upwardly extendingdownwardly opening groove 31, and the upstanding portion 32 of thegutter 27 has a closely return-bent edge portion 33, whereby a suitabletrim or molding strip 34 of inverted substantially L cross section mayembrace the outer side 32 and bottom of the gutter and have itstransversely curved marginal edge portions 35 and 36 securely engagedwith said groove 31 and return-bent edge portion 33 to improve theexterior appearance of the structure.

Preferably the lower part 37 of the downwardly extending flange 29 formsan attaching portion for a suitable head lining $8, a trim molding 39 ofresilient material such as rubber or rubber composition, and a tainerstrip 4%) of sheet metal, and is provided below the Weatherstrip 26 withan upwardly opening channel or trough portion 41 for receiving any waterdraining downwardly from the joint between the sealing flap portion 2%of said Weatherstrip 2t and flange 1? when the door is in closedposition.

The trim molding 39 has a base portion 4-2 disposed insurface-to-surface relation with the head lining E58 and is providedbelow the lower edge of said head lining with a trough portion 43 thatis adapted to receive water overflowing the outer edge of the troughportion dll of the flange 2) and that is engageable with the inner side17 of the door header to form a second seal between the door and bodyheaders when the door is in closed position. Thus, with my structure,water from outside the vehicle body is effectively prevented fromentering the interior thereof.

The retainer strip 4t} has a transversely curved body portion providedat opposite side edges with inturned flanges 44 and 45 and is receivedwithin a suitable groove 4-6 in the base 42 of the trim molding 39,whereby such retainer strip 43 cooperates with fastening means 47 tohold the trim molding 39 and head lining 38 upon the body header, andcooperates with the trim molding 39 to enhance and improve the interiorappearance of the strticture.

The fastening means 47 for the head lining 3S, trim molding 39, andretainer strip 4-0 have head portions d3 within and concealed by thebody portion of the retainer strip 46 and have shank portions 4% thatextend outwardly through the space between said inturned flanges 4-4 andas, through the base 42 of the trim molding, through the head lining 38,and project through and outwardly beyond suitable holes in the lowerpart 37 of the flange 29. In fact the projecting free ends of the shanks4?? are just below and upon the outer side of the base 3% of theWeatherstrip and effectively hold such Weatherstrip against accidentaldisplacement from the groove 28 and flange 29.

What iclaim as my invention is:

l. in combination, a vehicle body header, a weather strip having a baseportion extending between cooperating retainer portions of said headerand having a sub stantially vertical depending sealing flap portion, adoor header having a downwardly opening channel for receiving the upperedge of a vertically slidable glass panel, the base of said channelhaving a laterally projecting flange engageable with the scaling flapportion of said Weatherstrip when said door header is in closed positionrelative to said body header to provide a seal for water between the twoheaders, one of the cooperating portions aforesaid of said body headerbeing provided below and in vertically spaced relation to the lower edgeof said sealing flap portion with an upwardly opening trough portion forreceiving any water seeping downwardly from the seal between saidsealing flap portion and said lateral flange, and a trim molding carriedby said one of the cooperating portions and having an upwardly openingtrough spaced vertically below and adapted to catch any wateroverflowing the outer edge of the trough aforesaid, the last mentionedtrough being wider than and substantially enveloping the troughaforesaid, whereby the outer side of the last mentioned trough isengageable by the inner side of the channel aforesaid when the doorheader is in closed position to form a second seal for water between thetwo headers.

2. In combination, a vehicle body header, a weatherstrip having a baseportion extending between cooperating retainer portions of said headerand having a sealing flap portion, a door header having a downwardlyopening channel for receiving the upper edge of a vertically slidableglass panel and having a laterally projeco ing flange engageable withthe sealing flap portion of said Weatherstrip when said door header isin closed position relative to said body header to provide a seal forwater between the two headers, one of the cooperating portions aforesaidof said body header being provided below and in vertically spacedrelation to said sealing flap portion with an upwardly opening troughportion for receiving any water seeping downwardly from the seal betweensaid sealing flap portion and said lateral flange, and a trim moldingcarried by said one of the cooperating portions and having an upwardlyopening trough spaced vertically below and adapted to catch any wateroverflowing the outer edge of the trough aforesaid, the last mentionedtrough being wider than and substantially enveloping the troughaforesaid, whereby the outer side of the last mentioned trough isengageable by the inner side of the channel aforesaid when the doorheader is in closed position to form a second seal for water between thetwo headers.

3. In combination, a vehicle body header, a weatherstrip having a baseportion extending between cooperating retainer portions of said headerand having a substantially vertical depending sealing flap portion, adoor header having a laterally projecting flange engageable with thesealing flap portion of said Weatherstrip when said door header is inclosed position relative to said body header to provide a seal for waterbetween the two headers, one of the cooperating portions aforesaid ofsaid body header being provided below and in vertically spaced relationto the lower edge of said sealing flap portion with an upwardly openingtrough portion for receiving any water seeping downwardly from the sealbetween said sealing flap portion and said lateral flange, and a trimmolding carried by said one of the cooperating portions and having anupwardly opening trough spaced vertically below and adapted to catch anywater overflowing the outer edge of the trough aforesaid.

4-. In combination, a vehicle body header, a. weatherstrip having a baseportion extending between cooperating retainer portions of said headerand having a substantially vertical depending sealing flap portion, adoor header having a laterally projecting flange engageable with thesealing flap portion of said Weatherstrip when said door header is inclosed position relative to said body header to provide a seal for waterbetween the two headers, one of the cooperating portions aforesaid ofsaid body header being provided below and in vertically spaced relationto the lower edge of said sealing flap portion with an upwardly openingtrough portion for receiving any water seeping downwardly from the sealbetween said sealing flap portion and said lateral flange, a trimmolding upon the inner side of said one of the cooperating portions andhaving an upwardly opening trough spaced vertically below and adapted tocatch any water overflowing the outer edge of the trough aforesaid, andmeans for fastening the trim molding to said one of the cooperatingportions, including an element extending beside and operable to hold thebase portion of said Weatherstrip against displacement from both of saidcooperating portions.

5. In combination, a vehicle body header, a weatherstrip having a baseportion extending between cooperating retainer portions of said headerand having a depending sealing flap portion, a door header having aportion engageable with the sealing flap portion of said Weatherstripwhen said door header is in closed position relative to said body headerto provide a seal for water between the two headers, one of thecooperating portions aforesaid of said body headerbeing provided belowand in vertically spaced relation to the lower edge of said sealing flapportion with an upwardly opening trough portion for receiving any waterseeping downwardly from the seal between said sealing flap portion andsaid lateral flange, a trim molding upon the inner side of said one ofthe cooperating portions, and means for fastening the trim molding tosaid one of the cooperating portions including an element extendingbeside and operable to hold the base portion of said Weatherstripagainst displacement from both of said cooperating portions.

6. -In combination, a vehicle body header, a weatherstrip having a baseportion carried by said header and having a sealing flap portion, a doorheader engageable with the sealing flap portion of said Weatherstrip toform a watertight seal, a portion of said vehicle body header havingbelow and in vertically spaced relation to said sealing flap portion atrough for catching water seeping from the seal aforesaid, and a trimmolding also carried by said vehicle body header and having below and invertically spaced relation to the trough aforesaid a trough for catchingwater overflowing the trough aforesaid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,165,594 Waterhouse July 11, 1939 2,319,723 Crowe et al. May 18, 19432,356,976 Conlon Aug. 29, 1944 2,383,575 Wernig Aug. 28, 1945 2,484,176*Lindernann Oct. 11, 1949 2,498,852 Doty Feb. 28, 1950 2,536,863 WidrnanJan. 2, 1951 2,576,354 Oswald Nov. 27, 1951 2,588,628 Higbie Mar. 11,1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 833,934 France Aug. 1, 1938 675,687

Great Britain July 16, 1952

